Protective device for knitting and the like



Nov. 12, 1935. H. 1. KIRKPATRICK PROTECTIVE DEVICE FOR KNITTING AND THE LIKE Filed April 22, 1955 G. 6: .EIG.Z

IN VENT OR. Ha /v [SI/4M /fIl?/|PA TRICK.

BY am am.

ATTORNEYS,

Patented Nov. 12, 1935 PROTECTIVE DEVICE ron KNITTING AND THE LIKE Helen Isham Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati, om Application April 22, 1935, Serial No. 17,588

13 Claims.

My invention relates to means for protecting and keeping clean such items of handwork as knitting and crocheting and the like, of which knittingwill serve as exemplary, and in con- I nection with which I shall describe my invention. The completion of the average piece of knitting takes a relatively great length of time, and, while between periods of active work, it is the practice to protect the knitting by placing it in a bag, sewing kit or the like, yet the work almost invariably becomes soiled during the periods of active knitting when it must rest upon a table or other support, or upon the lap of the knitter.

Thus the ordinary bags or kits are not effective 18 in protecting the work.

' 26 will hereinafter be more fully set. forth.

These and other objects of my invention which will be apparent upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which I shall now describe an embodiment understood to be merely exemplary of my invention.

Reference is made to the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 shows my protective device closed.

Fig. 2 shows my device open with work therein in process. v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through my device.

Fig. 4 shows a type of hook which'I may use.

Fig. 5 shows my device in use with flat work.

Figs. 6 and 7 show in two views another type of hook which I may employ.

Essentially in the practice of my invention, I provide abag or like construction adapted to hold not only the work but also the materials with which it is carried on. The work is placed 45 in the bag and removably attached thereto, in such a position however, that the end of the work being operated upon extends beyond the end of the bag. Thebag also has a covering means adapted to extend over the said end of the work 60 while so positioned, and to protect it against soiling, when 1 the operation .of knitting is sus-.

, 'pended. j

, Preferably the bag will be formed of very light weight material so as to be very flexible and to v 65 add'very little tothe total weight of the work. I 1

have'sh'own in Fig. 1, a bag I of generally cylindrical form having a top closure member 2 seamed as at 3 to accept draw strings 4, whereby the bag may be closed. The bag may be advantageously formed oflight weight, closely woven'silk, preferably out along the bias. Where the work is to occupy a great length of time the bag may be formed, if desired, of someimpervious fabric which is therefore more dust proof, such for example as oiled silk, reinforced cellom phane, or a light weight rubberized fabric.

As shown in Fig. 3, the top closure member 2 is generally cylindrical in shape when expanded, and is big enough to 'be' turned back over the outside of the bag body I. It is attached'thereii to preferably by an upstanding seam construction such as that illustrated at 5, and to this seam I attach a series of hooks 6.

, One type of hook which I may use is illustrated in Fig. 4 and comprises an eyelet member 6a and 0 a shank 6b, whichisbent over closely adjacent the eyelet and extends therebelow, preferably terminating in an enlarged tip Go to avoid tearing the work.

Another type of hook is illustrated in Figs. 6 85 and 7. This hook has an eyelet member indicated at H and a shank l2. It may be formed of wire as shown and will preferably have one or more angular bends in it as at l3, which bends assist in preventing accidental dislodgment of the work. Either of these types of hooks, or any other suitable attachment device may be attached by sewing to the seam 5, as shown in Fig.

3, or may be attached to the bag by grommet I 4, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 or other suitable 85 attachment devices.

In use, the work is positioned in the bag with its unfinished end slightly projecting therefrom. In Figs. 2 and 3, I have shown my device in use with a circular knitting piece indicated at 'l. Work of this character is carried on with a flexible knitting needle indicated at 8, and which may be bent to a circular shape to conform to the work, both ends of said needle being used in the operation of knitting.

The hooks 6 are thrust through the work slightly below the position of the needle 8 so as to cause .the work to be held in and protected by the bag, excepting for a narrow end portion on which the operation of knitting is being carried forward. The finished portion of the work is thus entirely covered and all portions of the work which would be likely to come into contact with external objects are protectedfi 1 The supply of knitting material may be kept Moreover in certain knitting operations, it is necessary to count the rows of knitting. My device greatly facilitates this, since it renders unnecessary the attention hitherto required in making the count, and lessens the difllculty of picking up a count which has been lost. The hooks 6 may be passed through the work along that row of knitting from which the count is to start, and thus they furnish a positive index of the starting line which is easy to locate.

In Fig. 5, I have shown my device in use with a fiat knitting piece 9. Under these circumstances, it is merely necessary to flatten the bag against the work piece, and pass the hooks through it from both sides, as will'be clear from the drawing.

I find it advantageous also to attach to my device at the seam a measuring means such as the tape III. This coacts with the other parts of my device in this, that when the tape is applied to the work, as where measuring in lieu of counting is to be relied upon, the starting end of the tape is automatically positioned with respect to the work by the hooks.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus the form of the container and the form of the closure therefor may be widely modified in adapting it to different types of work; and I desire it to be understood that my invention is not limited otherwise than as specifically set forth in the appended claims, which are as follows:-

1. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a light weight flexible container adapted to hold the body of a work piece,and means on said container for fastening it to said work piece so as to leave the portion of said work piece upon which active work is being carried on projecting therefrom.

2. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a light weight flexible container adapted to hold the body of a work piece, means on said container for fastening it to said work piece so as to leave the portion of said work piece upon which active work is being carried on projecting therefrom, and means in connection with said container for covering and protecting the projecting portion of said work piece when active work is suspended. I

3. In a protective device for knitting, orthe like, a container of flexible light weight material adapted to hold the body portion of a work piece, and means adjacent the top of said container when said container is open to engage said work piece near the unfinished end thereof so as to leave projecting that portion of the work piece upon which active work is being carried on, said means having a detachable relation with said work piece.

4. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a container of flexible light weight material adapted to hold the body portion of a work piece, means adjacent the top of said container when said container is open to engage said work piece near the unfinished end thereof so as to leave projecting that portion of the work piece upon which active work is being carried on, said means having a detachable relation with said work piece, and means in connection with said container for covering and protecting the projecting portion of said work piece when active work is suspended.

' within the bag while knitting. As the work advances, the hooks B may be moved up into new ,positions, as will be clear.

5. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, the combination of a light weight flexible. bag having a top edge when said bag is open, and a series of hook members attached about said top edge and adapted to engage the work piece 5 so as to hold said work piece partly within and partly without said bag.

6. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, the combination of a light weight flexible bag having a top edge when said bag is open, a 10 series of hook members attached about said top edge and adapted to engage the work piece so as to hold said work piece partly within and partly without said bag, and cover means on said bag adapted to fold back below the said top edge thereof when active work is being carried on, and adapted to project beyond said top edge during periods of suspension of the work and protect the projecting end of said work piece.

7. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, the combination of a light weight flexible bag having a top edge when said bag is open, a series of hook members attached about said top edge and adapted to engage the work piece so as to hold said work piece partly within and partly without said bag, cover means on said bag adapted to fold back below the said top edge thereof when active work is being carried on, and adapted to project beyond said top edge during periods of suspension of the work and protect the projecting end of said work piece, and closure means for said covering means.

8. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, the combination of a light weight flexible bag having a top edge when said bag is open, a series of hook members attached about said top edge and adapted to engage the work piece so as to hold said work piece partly within and partly without said bag, and a measuring device attached to said bag so as to be located with respect to said work by means of said hooks.

9. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a light flexible bag of generally cylindrical cross section and adapted to contain the body of a circular piece of knitting, interspaced hook members adjacent the upper edge of said bag, said members adapted to engage a knitting piece by being thrust therethrough, said bag being adapted to be held in generally cylindrical shape by a circular knitting needle in engagement with the work, whereby the interior of the bag is left open for additional working materials.

10. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a light flexible bag of generally cylindrical cross section and adapted to contain the body 65 of a circular piece of knitting, interspaced hook members adjacent'the upper edge of said bag, said members adapted to engage a knitting piece by being thrust therethrough, said bag being adapted to be held in generally cylindrical shape by a circular knitting needle in engagement with the work, whereby the interior of the bag is left open for additional working materials, and closure means for said bag, said means comprising a circular member attached to said bag adjacent the top thereof, and adapted to be folded back along the sides of the bag during periods of active work and drawn up over the end of the work piece during inactive periods.

11. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, a light flexible bag of generally cylindrical cross section and adapted to contain the body of a circular piece of knitting, interspaced hook members adjacent the upper edge of said bag, said members adapted to engage a knitting piece 15 by being thrust therethrough, said bag being adapted to be held in generally cylindrical shape by a circular knitting needle in engagement with the work, whereby the interior of the bag is left open for additional working materials, closure means for said bag, said means comprising a circular member attached to said bag adjacent the top thereof, adapted to be folded back along the sides of the bag during periods of active work and drawn up over the end of the work piece during inactive periods, and closure means for said covering member.

12. In a, protective device for knitting, or the like, covering means for a work piece, and means adapted removably to hold an end of said covering piece adjacent an end of said work piece so as to leave projecting a portion thereof on which active work is being carried on, said fastening means being adapted for selective positioning so as to mark the starting line of a.

counting operation.

13. In a protective device for knitting, or the like, covering means for a work piece, means adapted removably to hold an end of said covering piece adjacent an end of said work piece so as to leave projecting a portion thereof on which active work is being carried on, said fastening means being adapted for selective positioning so as to mark the starting line of a counting operation, and a measuring device related to said fastening means so as to have an end positioned thereby when used for measuring the. projecting 15 end of said work.

' HELEN ISHAM KIRKPATRICK. 

